Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-01-15
CLUVERIUS HANGED.
HE MAKES NO CONFESSION
But Passes From the World
Into the "Grcat Beyond" With
the Secret Unrevealed.

the Secret Unrevealed.
R1cnMoSp, VA, Jan. 14.-All ef-
forts to procure further reprleve
having failed, at lilo this P. NJ. in
the iailyard in this city, Thomas j.
Cluyerius was hanged for the murder
of his cousin, Miss Madison. lie
protested his innocence to the last,
and as far as is now known, died
with the secret unrevealed.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
The body of Fannie Lillian Madison,
4 Young LADY Of King William county,
this State, was found floating in the
Old Reservoir, near this city, March
a. 1885. The presence of terrible
bruises about the face and head and
indications of struggle near where
the body was found pointed to MUIR
der. At the inquest the crime was
fully established. 1t was also shown
that Miss Madison registered at the
American House here the day before
her corpse was found; that on the
same day she received a note at the
hands of a messenger, and at s o'clock
in the evening was seen to leave the
hotel with man who was afterwards
proven to be Thomas Judson Cluverl-
us, a young lawyer of King and Queen
county and distant relative of Miss
Madison, who was not seen alive after
ward. Cluverins was arrested March
10. and brought here. The deceased
was well educated. and % years
of age.
During the trial, which opened May
u, it was shown that Cluverius had
betrayed his fair cousin at her fathers
house, where they had associated from
childhood; that had she lived two
months longer she would have become
mother; that Cluverius caused her
to come to Richmond either for the
purpose of having criminal malprac-
tice performed. to sequestrate her until
the child was born, or with the DELHI
crate purpose of murder; that she had
threatened to expose his guilt to their
aunt, upon whose wealth Cluverivs
was largely dependent; that he was
then paying attention to young lady
of his neighborhood, whom he desired
to marry.
Here, then, was the motive, so well
defined that on June 5, ejury, after
but forty minutes delibcration, found
Cluverious guilty of the murder in the
first degree.
On June 10, he was sentenced to be
hanged on Nov 20, 1885. An appeal
to the Supreme Court had not beer
heard when the day of execution ar.
rived, which necessarily caused post
ponement.
The high social standing of thu
murderer and his victim, coupled with
the mystery and romance of tragedy
made of it one of the celebrated casel
of modern jurisprudence.
The Supreme Court of Appeals stood
4 to 1 in favor of sustaining the judg
ment of the lower court. Judg,
Fauntleroy delivered the opinion, read
ing from bundle of legal cap papel
comprising about one hundred pages
Judge Hinton dissented, being in favo
of new trial. The fact that Cluve
RUS would not be produced in cour
kept away many who would otherwise
have been present.
At times Judge Fauntleroy was yer,
impressive, and as he laid bare tn
facts as adduced on the memorial trial
it seemed as if the voice of the publi
prosecutor was being heard again. TIL
opinion of the court as expressed ha'
been arrived at after very patien
and searching review of all the facts
and was supported by copious quota
tions and references to the most learne,
and competent authorities.
Cluyerius knew what the decision
would be at least one hour befor
Judge Fauntleroy had finished readin,
the opinion. About 1910 o'clocl
Mr.. McGeorge, friend of the prison
er, left the court room and went t.
the Jail. Mr.. McGeorge remained will
Cluverius until Judge Crump and Mr.
Beverly Crump, of counsel for the pri
soner, arrived at the Jail. CIuveriu
was in an upstairs room, the same il
which the Coroner's investigation wa,
conducted and where Car Drive
Williams looked at him to see il h
could indemnity him as the man who
in company with a lady, got of tn
car at Reservoir street and turne,
down towards the Reservoir on tn
night of the tragedy. When tn,
action of the court was made know
to Cluverous there was little witch
ing of the facial muscles. but this sool
passed away. giving place to tina
sternness and se1f-control which ex